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, H, s. S INES. PERIODICALLY OPERATED MECHAMSM.

API LICATION FILED FEB-24.19M-

Patented July 8, 1919.

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PERIODICALLY OPERATE-1p MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24; I919- Patented July 8, 1919..

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Patent-ed July 8, 1919.

APPLIQATIQN FILED FEB. 24. 1919 Original application filed January 19, 1915, Seri al No. 3,021.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD S. SIN ES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MINERALLAC ELECTRICCOMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PERIODICALLY-OPERATED MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Divided and this application filed February p 24, 1919. Serial No.278,788.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, HAROLD S. SINES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chi- *ago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Periodically-0peratedMechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accomlmnying drawings, tion.

My invention relates to improvements in periodically-operated mechanism,and in order that it may be clearly understood, I have illustrated anddescribed herein my invention embodie in a time switch such as is usedfor automatically closing and opening a power switch electric lights orother translating devices.

The obJects of my invention are First: To provide a mechanism whichcomprises a member to be actuated periodically and at-ccrta'inpredetermined times, the means for thus actuating the member comprisinga tin'ie-keeping mechanism having a main spring, a second spring, meansactuated by the second spring and controlled by said clock mechanism foractuating said member, a motor, connections between the motor and thetwo s rings for energizing these springs, the said connectionscomprising means for transmitting the energy of the motor to the springsin accordance with the de'e nergizedcondition of the springs.

Second: To provide a mechanism of the character described, in which themotor for' energizing the springs is started and stopped by meanscontrolled by the clock mechanism. a j

Third: To provide a mechanism comprising a clock mechanism having a mainspring, a second spring for actuating a movable member, a-motorforenergizing said springs,

'the connections between the, motor and the springs comprising adifferential mechanism of such natureas to selectively transmit theenergy of the motor to either or both of the springs in accordance withthe condition of said springs.

Fourth To provide a time switch embodying the mechanism hav ng thecharacteristics set forth in the previous Ob]8Ct, I

forming a part of this specificafor supplying current to gize thesprings Other objects will appear as this description progresses,reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved mechanism.

ig. 2 is a transverse"horizontal section, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse longitudinal section taken on line3-3 of 1g. 2,portions of the clock escapement mechanism being omitted. Fig. 4 is atransverse horizontal section taken on line H of Fig. 3-.

ig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail view taken upon line 55' of Fig.3, illustrating the'devices which insure positive action of theswitching mechanism illustrated in Figs.

2 and 3.

Fig. 6 1s a plan view of the snap switch which forms a part of the timeswitch mechanlsm.

F 1g. 7 diagrammatically illustrates the circuit arrangements used anconnection with my invention.

Smnlar. reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

. This application is a division of my applicggion Serial-No. 3021,filed January 19, l. 5.

Referring first to Fig. 1 of the drawings, my invention comprises asupporting plate or base 20; which carries the plates 21, 22 and 23.disposed at right angles thereto.

These plates are secured together and spaced apart by suitable screwsand posts as illustrated, the plates 21, 22, and 23 serving to supportthe larger portion of the timekeeping and switching mechanism. The

plate or base 20 also supports plates or shelves 24. and 25, betweenwhich is located anelectric motor 26, which, as will presently beexplained, operates for the time-keepin and switching mechanisms.Referring to ig. 3, reference character 26 indicates a upper end ofwhich is journaled in the-plate 21, and the lower end of whichisjournaled in the upper end of the shaft 27, the upper end of the shaft27 being in turn journaled in the plate 22. The upper end of the shaft27 isprovided with a disk-like enlargement 28, to the upper side ofwhich is riveted the drum 29, which incloses the spring 30, one

Patented July 8,1919.

shaft the end of which is secured to the drum 29, as indicated at 31,and the other end of which is secured to the shaft 26, as indicated at32. The shaft 26 passes freely through the upper side of the drum 29.From'the above description it will be clear that when the shaft '27 isrotated in the proper direction the spring 30 will be placed undertension and tend to rot-ate the shaft 26. The spur ear 33 is connectedto the upper end of the shaft 26, and is provided adjacent its edg: witha pin 3*, the function of which will referred to later on.

As is most clearly illustrated in Fig. 2, the spur gear 33 meshes with apinion 35,

fixed upon a shaft 35, and from the shaft 35 motion is transmittedthrough a. train comprising gears 36, 37, 38, 39, pinion 40, gear 50,and pinion 51, to a shaft 52, which shaftis in turn operativelyconnected with a marine escapement mechanism 53, illustrated in Fig. 1.The details of the escapement 53 do not form any part of my presentinvention, and inasmuch as any desired form of escapement may beemployed, the escapement mechanism in question has not been illustratedin all its details. It will sufiice to say that assuming the shaft 28 tobe held stationary and'the spring 30 to be under tension, the gear 33will be rotated at a constant rate. due to the clock train andescapement mechanism just described.

Fixed upon the shaft 35, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. '2, is avbevel gear 5*, which in turn meshes with a corresponding bevel gearfixed upon an arbor, which at its outer end carries a minute hand-56,which when the arbor is rotated is adapted to travel over a suitableclock dial 57 in the usual manner. Disposed upon the arbor just referred to is the sleeve 58 which carries the usual hour hand 59. Motiomis transmitted from the arbor to the sleeve 58 through a suitablereducing train illustrated in Fig. 2 and comprising a pinion 60 fixedrelatively to the arbor, a gear 61, a pinion 62 fixed with respect tothe gear 61, and gear 63 secured to the sleeve 58.

It will be clear from the above description that the mechanism justdescribed merely constitutes a timekeeping mechanism of which the spring30 is the main spring. will now describe the mechanism which actuatesthe switch to open and close the power circuit which transmits thecurrent to any desired translating device, thisswitch being the.actuated member of my invention when broadly considered. In Fig. 6 Ihave shown a plan view of the switch 6i which for the purpose of thisinvention is merely conventionally illustrated as being of the ordinaryrotary, snap-switch type. The details of these switc ies are wellunderstood, and need not be described herein. The shaft 65 of thisswitch extends upwardly and is journaled in the plate 23, through whichit extends, the upper end of the shaft 65 being provided with a borewhich forms a bearing for the lower end of the shaft 27, and a spur gear66 is loosely mounted upon the upper end of the shaft 65. A drum 67 islikewise loosely mounted upon the upper end of the shaft 65 and rivetedas shown, or otherwise secured. to the gear 66, so as to rotatetherewith. One end of the spring 68 within the drum 67 is secured to theshaft 65 as indi cated at 69, and the other end thereof is secured tothe wall of the drum 67 as indicated at 70. It will therefore be clearthat when the spring 68 is placed under tension it will tend to rotatethe shaft 65 and consequently the movable contacts 71 of the rotaryswitch. A spur gear 72 is secured to the shaft 65 and meshes with apinion 7 3 on the shaft 7i. A gear 75 carried by the shaft 74: mesheswith a pinion 76 which is secured to the shaft 77. A winding plate 78 issecured to the shaft 77. An escapement plate 79 is also secured adjacentthe upper end of the shaft 65, and is controlled by an escape-meritmechanism presently to be described, to permit the shaft 65 tointermittently or periodically rotate to open and close the switch 6%,the time of the opening and closing of the switch 6i being cont-rolledby the clock mechanism in the manner about to be described. Theescapement plate 79 is held against rotation by the escapementmechanism.

I have now described the clock mechanism and the switch-actuatingmechanism. each of which, as has been seen, comprises a spring foractuating the same. I will now describe the means by which these springsare wound or kept in an energized condition.

Referring to Fig. 1, it 'will be seen that the shaft of the motor 26 isprovided with a worm 80, meshing with the worm gear 81, which has fixedwith respect thereto a bevel gear meshing with the bevel gear 82 fixedupon the lower end of the shaft 83, vertically disposed in suitablebearings and provided at its upper end with a spur gear 84. A shaft 85is rotatzbly mounted in the plate 23, and extends loosely through thepinion 86 and the lower side of the differential bracket 87, and isprovided at its upper end with a bevel gear 88, and at its lower endwith a spur gear 8%, meshing with the gear St. The pinion 86 isrotatably secured to the differential bracket 87 and meshes with thespur gear 66. A shaft 89 has. its upper end rotatably mounted in theplate '29., and its lower end extends through the upper side of thedifferential bracket 87 and is provided with a bevel gear 90. The bevelgears 88 and 90" mesh with opposite sides of the bevel gears 91.- whichare rotatably mounted on the sides of the differential bracket 87. Thespur pinion 93 is rotatably mounted on the upper side of thedifferential bracket 87 and to the lower end condition of these springs-that is, ifone of :tha't when the springs 30 and 68 come unwound ordenergized and the shaft meshes with the spur gear 94, which is keyed of.the shaft 27, pinion 93 being secured to theshaft 89.

From the above description it will be seen have be- 83 is rotated in thedirection of the arrow A the shaft 85 will be rotated in the oppositedirection, and there will be a tendency for the differential bracket 87to rotate. This tendency will, however, be resisted by the tension ofthe spring 68 exerted through the the tension of the spring 30. Underthis condition the energy of the motor will be transmitted to the spring30 through the shaft 83, gears 84 and 84, shaft 85, bevel gear 88, bevelgears 91, bevel gear 90, shaft 89, spur pinion 93, spur gear 94, shaft27, and drum 29. s soon as the tensions of the two springs become equalboth springs will be wound simultaneously; If it should happen at thebeginning of the winding operation that the tension of the spring 68 isless than that of the spring 30, the spur pinion 93, and

consequently the bevel gear 90, will be held stationary, and as a resultof this differential, bevel gears 91 will be rolled about their axesupon the bevel gear and carry the differential bracket with them, andtherefore cause the spur pinion 86 to rotate. The motion of the spurgear 86 will be transmitted to the spring 68 through the drum 67 and thespur gear 66. As soon as the tension of the twosprings becomes equal,continued rotation of the shaft 83 will cause simultaneous winding 0renergizing of both 11 springs. I have therefore provided means forselectively transmitting the energy from the motor to the springs 30 and68 in accordance with the energized or deenergized the springs isdeenergized more than the other, the energy of the motor will betransmitted to this spring, and vice versa; or if both, of the samedegree,

springs are deenergized to the then both of the springs will besimultaneously energized by the motor.

Mounted upon the bracket 100, as is most clearly illustrated in Fig. 1,is a disk 101 provided with peripheral teeth meshing with a pinion 102.to is fixed upon a shaft 103, upon which is also fixed a bevel gear 104meshing with a bevfel gear 105 fixed upon the shaft 35 to the clocktrain previously described. It will be understood, therefore, that thedisk 101 is driven at a constant rate. Formed in the disk 101 near theperiphery thereof are a plurality of apertures 106 which may be numberedas indicated if desired. The apertures 106 are arranged to receive pins107.

to control in part the operation of the snap the spur 1 .This motionimparted to rear of the pin.

:The pinion 102 just referred The apertures 106 are as indicated in Fig.1

switch mechanism.

preferably numbered of the drawings, and the disk 101 is erably coloredon one side as indicated by the shade lines in Fi 1, to distinguishthose apertures corresponding to the hours of the night from thosecorresponding to the hours of the day. The plate 23 supports a block 108which serves as a bearing for the shaft 103 that transmits motion fromthe timekeeping mechanism to the disk 101.

Keyed to the shaft 65 is an escapement plate 110 adapted to cooperatewith the lever 111, pivoted at 112 to the plate '23. The escapementplate 110 is provided with four notches 113, each arranged when inposition adjacent the lever 111 to cotiperate with a luglll carried bythe lever 111. Extending upwardly from the lever 111 is a post 115 towhich is pivoted an arm 116. This arm, as shown, is arranged to extentoutwardly so as to cooperate with the time-actuated disk and pins 101and 107' respectively. A spring 117 is interposed between the arm 116and the lever 111 to retain the parts in the position illustrated in thedrawings. Carried by the post 117 is a flat spring 118 arranged to abutagainst the post 115 to hold the lever 111 in position to lock theescapement plate 110. A pin 119 is arranged to limit the movement of thelever 111 when the escapement is caused to operate, as will be describedpresently.

hen the adjustable pin 107 engages the free end of'the arm 116 and movesthe same toward the right (Fig. 4), the leverlll. will be caused todisengage the escapement plate 0. As soon as this disengagement of thelever and plate takes place, the plate will be rotated by the spring 68,which has already been described as secured to the shaft 65. As

the plate 110 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow, the arm116 is drawn inwardly by the spring 117, the arm riding on the peripheryof the escapement plate.

the arm 116 enablesthe end of the arm to move away from the teeth of theactuating pin 118 and to return again to its normal position in the theAs the escapement plate 110 rotates, the succeeding notch will. ofcourse, be caught by the lug 111-to lock the shaft 65 until againreleased by a second pin 118.

Thus far I have described the time-keeping' mechanism, the switchingmechanism, 1

the escapement mechanism which controls the operation of the switchingmechanism, and the differential means for winding the springs drivingthe time mechanism and the switch mechanism respectively.

' I will now describe the means which I employfor controlling the motorwhich actuates the spring-winding mechanism.

The circuit for the motor 26 is controlled by suitable switchingmechanism illustrated pref- 2 and 3. Mounted in most clearly in Figs.the plates 21 and 22 1s a shaft 120 having fixed thereon a four-toothedcam 121. Carried by the plate 22 is a pair of switch springs 122 and 123which switch springs are provided with cooperating contact points 121and Disposed adjacent the switch spring 123 is a third spring 126 whichis provided with an offset free end 127' cooperating with the cam 121,and carried by the switch spring 123 and interposed between the springs123 and 126 is a block of insulation 129 which supports the said springs123 and 126. It will be secnthat when the offset portion 127 of thespring 126 is in the space between the pair of teeth of the cam asillustrated in Fig. 2, the switch springs 122 and 123 will be in openposition, but that when the cam 121 is operated to cause the portion 127of the spring 76 to ride upon one of the teeth of the cam, the switchsprings will be moved to closed position.

Fixed upon the shaft 120 and disposed adjacent the spur gear 33 is adisk 129 provided with four peripheral teeth 130. The disk 129 is sodisposed that normally when the gear 33 is rotated the pin 35 carriedthereby will engage one of the teeth. 130 of the disk 129 and advancethe shaft 120 to bring the cam 121 in position to close the switchsprings 122 and 123. Due to the fact that the spur gear 33 forms a partof the clock train driven by the spring 30, it will be seen that eachtime the gear 33 is turned through one revolution the shaft 120 will beadvanced one step, provided the disk 129 is in such an angular positionthat one of its teeth may be engaged by the pin 31. The length of timerequired to turn the gear 33 through one revolution is not material. butthe several parts of the clock mechanism should be so related that thegear 33 will be turned through one revolution before the spring 30 hasrun down to any considerable extent.

Fixed upon the shaft 120 and disposed below the disk 129 is a seconddisk 131 provided with peripheral teeth 132. The peripheral teeth 132are angularly disposed with relation to the teeth 130 of the disk 129,as is most clearly illustrated in Fig. 2. It will be seen, therefore,that if the several parts are in the positions illustrated in Fig. 1,and the disk is advanced one step, the cam 121 will operate to close theswitch springs 122 and 123 and thereby close the circuit for the motor26. If the disk 131 is then advanced onestep. the cam 121 will beoperated to permit the switch springs 122 and 123 to move to openposition. The pin 31 carried by the spur gear 33 is arranged to advancethe disk 129 one step for each revolution of the spur gear 33, providedthe teeth of the disk 129 are in the proper angular positions.

I shall now describe the mechanism for advancing the disk 131. As ismost clearly illustrated in Fig. 3, the shaft 26 has fixed thereto aworm 133 cooperating with a gear 13% mounted upon a shaft 135 bearing inplates or brackets 136 which are supported by the drum 29. Also mountedin. the plates or brackets 136 is a shaft 137 having fixed thereon apinion 138 meshing with the gear 131, and fixed upon one end of theshaft 138 is an arm 139, which, when the spring 30 is in full woundcondition, assumes the position illustrated in full lines in Fig. 3.From the foregoing description it will be seen that when the shaft 26 isoperated by the spring 30, the shaft 138 and arm 139 will be rotated ina clockwise direction (Fig. 3). It will be understood that at all timesexcept when the spring 30 is being rewound the drum 29 will bestationary, and therefore the amount of displacement of the arm 139which occurs due to the cooperation between the worm 133 and the gear131 will be directly proportional to the energy lost by the spring 30 indriving the shaft 26 and parts connected therewith.

Assuming the several parts previously described to be in the positionsillustrated in the drawings, when the spur gear 33 has been turned tobring the pin 31 into engagement with one of the teeth of the disk 131,the cam while associated with the switch springs 122 and 123 will beoperated to close the switch springs and thus close the circuit for themotor 26. If there is sufficient current in the motor circuit to causethe operation of the motor, the motor will operate through the shaft 83,the differential mechanism and spur gear 91', to drive the drum 29 inthe direction of the arrow B in Fig. i. when this takes place the drum29 is 1'0- tated in the same direction, inasmuch as it is fixed withrespect to the gear 94, and the spring 30 is rewound. \Vhen the drum 29is turned as described, the plates or brackets 136 of the gearssupported thereby are turned about the worm 133, and consequently thearm 139 is turned in a counter clockwise direction. As soon as the drum29 has been turned an amount sufficient to restore in the spring 30 theenergy previously expended, the arm 139 will have assumed its originalposition indicated in full lines in Fig. 2. After the arm 139 has beenmoved to its horizontal position and is moved past the disk 131, the armwill engage one of the teeth of the disk and advance the shaft 120 andcam springs 122 and 123 to open. Upon return ing to normal position theoperation just described is repeated. If it should happen that thecircuit for the motor 26 is temporarily out of commission when theswitch springs are moved to closed position, rewinding of 121 to permitthe switch.

, tends to force the roller the spring 30 does not occur immediately.The spring 30, however, continues to drive the clock train and rotatethe arm 139 in a clockwise direction. lVhen the motor circuit becomesoperative the motor starts to operate and continues to wind the spring'30 until the arm 139 has been returned to normal position. After thearm 139 has assumed its normal horizontal position, the disk 131 isadvanced one step and the cam 121 operates the switch springs 122 and123 to open the motor circuit as previously described.

Inasnmch as the advancement of the disks 129 and 131 sometimes occursquite slowly, I find it desirable to provide some means to cause quickopening and closing of the switch springs 122 and 123 in order to avoidsparking at the contact point. I therefore provide the shaft 120 with astarwheel 140, most clearly illustrated in Fig. 5. The star wheel 140 isprovided with eight teeth, and cooperating therewith is a roller 141mounted upon the free end of the lever arm 142 pivoted to the plate 22.Associated with the arm 142 is a spring 143 which normally 1 11 intoengagement with the star wheel 140. It will be seenthat the shaft 120may be slowly advanced until the roller 1 11 has passed over one of theteeth of the star wheel. Then'the spring 143 will force the roller 141between a pair of the teeth of the star wheel and quickly advance theshaft 120 through the remainder of its one step advancement to effectthe opening and closing of the springs 122 and. v

123 as the case may be.

In Fig. 7 of the drawings several accomanying elements have beenillustrated quite fiiaarammatically. It will be seen that the snapswitch controls the circuit for a lamp load and that the rewinding motoris operatively connected with the features which are arranged to beconnected with the lamp load. It is not essential, however, that therewind ing motor be supplied with energy in this manner, but on theother hand, the motor may be equipped with an independent source ofcurrent as illustrated in dotted lines.

While I have described the details of the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be understood that my invention is not limited tothese details but is capable of other adaptations and modificationswithin the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention What I claim 1S1- 1. The combinationwith a clock mecha nism having a main spring, of a switch, a secondspring, means actuated by said second spring and controlled by saidclock mechanism for opening and closing said switch, a motor,connections between said i of said springs,

ond spring and controlled by said clock mechanism for opening andclosing said switch, a motor, connections between said motor and saidsprings, including differential means for energizing said springs, and

- means for starting and stopping said motor.

3. The combination with a clock mechanism having a main spring, of aswitch, a second spring, means actuated by said second spring andcontrolled by said clock mechanism for opening and closing sa'id switch,a motor, and connections between said motor and said springs, includingdifferential means for energizing said springs.

4. The combination with a clock mechanism having a main spring, of aswitch, a second spring, means actuated by said second spring andcontrolled by said clock mechanism for opening and closing said switch,a motor, permanent connections between said motor and said springs forenergizing said springs, the said connections includingemeans forselectively transmitting the energy of said motor to said springs inaccordance with the deenergi'zed condition of said springs, and meanscontrolled by said clock mechanism for starting and stopping said motor.

5. The combination with a clock mechanism having a main spring, of aswitch, a second spring, means actuated by said second spring andcontrolled by said clock mechanism for opening and closing said switch,a motor, permanent connections,be tween said motor and said springs forenergizing said springs, the said connections ineluding means forselectively transmitting the energy of said motor to said springs inaccordance with the deenergized condition and means for starting andstopping said motor.

6. The combination with a clock mecha nism having a main spring, of aswitch, a second spring, means actuated by said second spring andcontrolled by said clock mechanism for opening and closing said switch,a motor, connections between said motor and said springs for energizingsaid springs, the said connections including means for selectivelytransmitting the energy of said motor to said springs in accordance withthe deenergized condition of said springs, and meansfor starting andstopping said motor. I V

7. The combination with a clock mechanism having a main spring, of aswitch, a second spring, means actuated by said second spring andcontrolled by said .clock mechanism for actuating said switch, a motor,connections between said motor and said springs for energizing saidsprings, the said connectionsincluding means for selectivelytransmitting the energy of said motor to said springs in accordance withthe denergized condition of said springs, and means for starting andstopping said motor.

8. The combination with a clock mechanism comprising a main spring, of amember to be actuated, a second spring, means actuated by said secondspring and controlled by said clock mechanism for actuating said member,a motor, and connections between said motor and said springs forenergizing said springs comprising means for selectively transmittingthe energy of said motor to said springs in accordance with thedeenergized condition of said springs. 4

9. The combination with a mechanism having a main spring, of a switch, asecond spring, a movable element actuated by one of said springs andcontrolled by the other of said springs, a inotor, connections betweensaid motor and said springs for energizing said springs, comprisingmeans for selectively transmitting the energy of said motor to saidsprings in accordance with the tension. of said springs, and meanscontrolled nisms each having a driving spring,

means for energizing said springs, and driv- 4 by one of said springsfor causing said motor to energize said springs.

10. The combination with two mechanisms each having a driving spring,one of said mechanisms being controlled by the other, a motor forenergizing said springs, and driving connections between said motor andsaid springs for selectively energizing said springs in accordance withthe denergized condition of said springs.

11. The combination with two mechanisms eachhaving a driving spring, ofa motor for energizing said springs,- and driving connections betweensaid motor and said springs for selectively energizing said springs invaccordance with the deenergized condition of said springs. I 12. Thecombination with two mechaof a ing connections between said energizingmeans and said springs for selectively energizing said springs inaccordance with the denergized condition of said springs.

Inwitness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 13 day of February,1919.

HAROLD S. SINES. Witnesses:

ARTHUR P. SPECHT, HARRY L. STROM.-

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